When Marcus Theatres’ new Movie Tavern opens to the public on Friday at Brookfield Square in Brookfield, the 40,000-square-foot venue will offer something for every moviegoer.
That’s what the Milwaukee-based company is aiming to offer with a range of unique amenities including delivery-to-seat dining service, indoor and outdoor bar and lounge areas, self-service kiosks and modern-style concession stands.
Movie Tavern by Marcus is the first and the only Movie Tavern location in the works for the area and the state, opening about eight months after Marcus acquired the New Orleans-based chain.
“Having all three of our theatre brands — Marcus Theatres, BistroPlex and Movie Tavern — in our hometown is important to us,” said Rolando Rodriguez, chairman, president and CEO of Marcus Theatres. “In February we acquired the Movie Tavern circuit, and eight months later we are excited to bring it to life at Brookfield Square in order to provide our guests with even more choices for their moviegoing experience.”
The 871-seat venue includes eight auditoriums each with DreamLounger recliners and laser projectors.
But movies won’t be the only attraction. Its full-service bar, called The Tavern, is open to patrons with or without a movie ticket, serving craft beers on tap as well as a selection of wine and cocktails. In addition, the space includes giant scrabble, Tic Tac Toe and peg solitaire built into its walls.
Orders for all food and drinks can be placed at the bar, at self-serve kiosks near the main entrance, at concession stands or via Marcus Theatres Mobile App, making it as convenient and easy as possible for customers, said Rodriguez. Food and drink orders are then delivered to customers in their seats.Â
“If customers want to avoid any line whatsoever, we’ve provided multiple touch points on how they can get that accomplished,” he said.
The company said a major focus at Movie Tavern is group sales and alternative programming, which could range from booking private and corporate events at The Tavern or the auditoriums, hosting film festivals or streaming sporting events.
“It’s not just about showing movies…it’s offering all those different components within our community,” Rodriguez said.
Movie Tavern sits adjacent to the 45,000-square-foot, two-story WhirlyBall, which opened earlier this week. Both developments are part of an ongoing multimillion-dollar redevelopment of the former Sears store site at Brookfield Square.
